As we all know, the role of a school leader is complex and multi-dimensional with effective leaders drawing on multiple sources of information and supports. The Department offers a range of services to support school leaders with the execution of their roles and responsibilities. Three such services that we encourage members to access are the Principal Advisory Service, the Principal Support Unit (PSU) and Manager Assist.
Principal Advisory Service
Launched in October last year, the Principal Advisory Service is designed to complement the Policy and Advisory Library (PAL) by offering support for principals, business managers and SEILs in finding the right information. The team will assist with any questions relating to policy information and provide support with local policy documentation and compliance questions. The service may also be used to provide the Department with feedback on policy areas that are not clear.
The team at the Principal Advisory Service may be contacted via phone on (03) 7034 6777 or via email principal.advisory.service@education.vic.gov.au
Principal Support Unit (PSU)
The Principal Support Unit provides expert advice and support on HR and workforce related matters. Consisting of former principals and human resource specialists, the PSU team can:
- offer expert advice and support to principals across all areas of workforce and workplace management and school leadership.
- connect you with appropriate support services around the Department
- visit your school to support you and your leadership team in solving complex issues and build capacity
- run workshops for principal networks and leadership teams to build capacity as school leaders
You can call the PSU on (03) 7022 1016 or visit the Principal Support Unit webpage.
Manager Assist
This telephone advisory service is available to support school leaders with people-related issues. Support and advice is available on a range of issues, including:
- Having challenging conversations with staff
- Managing difficult team dynamics
- Support for staff and their mental health.
You may request a booking for Manager Assist by calling 1300 361 008.